At least once a week, I have a craving for sushi and not just
because I grew up loving California rolls, sliced fresh tuna,
and crab salad. In fact, my favorite part of the raw Japanese
meal by far has to be the little lump of often peach-colored
pickled ginger that sits in the corner of the plate. Snapping
up the slices of ginger from all of the plates on the table in
one delicious yet spicy mound is the best part of my night. I
never really thought that consuming that much ginger could be
preventing future body pain, I just love the taste. The good
news is that this wonderful root can actually help lessen a
whole host of ailments.

Ginger is commonly used in cooking as well as for medicinal
purposes. Ginger, also known by its Latin name Zingiber
officinale, is often used in Asian cultures as a way to treat
nausea or stomachaches usually associated with post surgical
symptoms, pregnancy, chemotherapy aftereffects, or motion
sickness. This reason may be why it is served with sushi—
although it is called Gari instead of ginger when used in this
manner—besides its original intention as a palate cleanser.”
Many American dietary supplements contain ginger for its anti-
nausea and vomit relief.

Ginger has also been used for treating osteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis as well as muscle and other joint pains.
Ginger comes in many forms: tablets, capsules, liquid, extract,
tea, dried roots, or fresh root (as in my pickled kind at sushi).
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (NCCAM), is conducting experiments on the different
drug interactions ginger may cause as well as whether or not
ginger can be proven to help inflammation.

According to experts so far, there are few side effects due
to taking small doses of ginger, such as: gas, bloating,
heartburn, and the occasional case of nausea and these reported
cases are from patients who took powdered ginger.

However, a 2006 study conducted at the University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center, shows that powdered ginger—while
it may have some side effects in small doses—may also help
reduce ovarian cancer. The researchers studied a high-grade
ginger powder in the laboratory against ovarian cancer cells.
They found that the ginger when dissolved in a solution and
applied to the cells caused them to die.

Two types of cell death occurred: apoptosis, in which the
cells commit suicide, and autophagy, in which the cells attacke
each other or digest themselves. Lead author and researcher, Dr.
J. Rebecca Liu, the University of Michigan’s Medical School
assistant professor of obstetrics says that the emerging results
of their ginger study is a big leap for ovarian cancer research,
“Most ovarian cancer patients develop recurrent disease that
eventually becomes resistant to standard chemotherapy—which is
associated with resistance to apoptosis. If ginger can cause
autophagic cell death in addition to apoptosis, it may
circumvent resistance to conventional chemotherapy.”

As with all preliminary verdicts, there is much more research
to be done and dozens more studies to conduct before any final
results can be made. The next step is to test these findings on
animals within the lab before any human trials can be done.
Since ginger has little to no side effects, the upside to it
being a cancer treatment is that it is natural and not as harsh
as radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery and it can potentially
inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer cells as an added bonus.

If ginger is delicious in sushi, the spice can be used in
savory dishes like our nutrition columnist’s own chicken soup
or salad dressings and it can also be enjoyed in sweet treats.
Gingersnap cookies are a favorite, same as gingerbread figures
and houses around the holidays. Whatever foods you enjoy ginger
in, just remember that beyond tantalizing your taste buds, you
just may be saving your body from some serious and not so serious
harm.

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Molecule might block the spread of cancer

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sept. 24 (UPI) — U.S. and Chinese
scientists  say a piece of genetic material with no
previously known function might hold the key to being
able to stop the spread of cancer.

Researchers at Yale University’s School of Medicine
and Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, found in a
study of mice an RNA molecule that can bind to and
block the function of proto-oncogenes — genes that
have the potential to trigger cancer.

The researchers, led by Professor Alan Garen at Yale
and Xu Song in China, said one mechanism that stops
cell proliferation is a family of tumor-suppressor
proteins. The TSP protein they discovered, called PSF,
is virtually identical in mice and humans, they said.

The Yale team said it succeeded in preventing the
formation of tumors in mice by either increasing the
amount of PSF or decreasing the amount of the non-
coding RNA in a cell.

“The tumor cell stops proliferating and the tumor
regresses in a mouse model of cancer, suggesting that
both procedures could be the basis of a clinical
protocol,” said Garen.

The study appeared in the Sept. 11 issue of the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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New way to fight bacteria studied

HAMILTON, Ontario, Sept. 28 (UPI) — Canadian
researchers say they’ve identified a chemical compound
that targets drug-resistant bacteria in a different way
from existing antibiotics.

McMaster University scientists say their discovery is
an ideal starting point to develop new interventions
for resistant infections. Despite the need for new
treatment options, the scientists note there have been
only two new classes of antibiotics developed during
the last 40 years.

Professor Eric Brown and colleagues from the Michael
DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research said
the compound could lead to new treatments to overcome
antibiotic resistance in certain types of microorganisms.

“Everyone reads the headlines about drug-resistant bugs,
it’s a big problem,” said Brown. “Really what we’re
trying to do is understand whether or not there are new
ways to tackle this problem.”

Existing antibiotics destroy bacteria by blocking
production of its cell wall, DNA or protein. The new
McMaster-discovered compound, MAC13243, is directed at
blocking a particular step in the development of the
bacteria’s cell surface, which until now has not been
recognized as a target for antibiotics.

“We’re excited about finding a new probe of a relatively
uncharted part of bacterial physiology,” Brown said. “It’s
a new way of thinking about the problem.”

The findings appear in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.

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Ultrasound can ID melanoma metastasis

BERLIN, Sept. 28 (UPI) — Medical scientists in Germany
say they’ve determined that ultrasound signals can be
used to determine if cancer has started to spread in
melanoma patients.

Dr. Christiane Voit of the Medical University of Berlin
said the discovery enables physicians to decide how much
surgery, if any, is required and to predict a patient’s
probable survival.

“We have identified two ultrasound patterns of lymph
node metastasis in melanoma patients, which can identify
correctly any amount of tumor cells in the sentinel
lymph nodes in (75 percent to 90 percent) of cases
before proceeding to surgery on the sentinel lymph
node,” Voit said.

Voit said although her research needs to be confirmed
in multi-center, randomized clinical trials, it has the
potential to spare patients unnecessary surgery,
especially if it was combined with ultrasound-guided
fine needle biopsy of lymph nodes rather than
onventional surgery.

She present her research last week in Berlin during a
joint meeting of the European CanCer Organization and
the European Society for Medical Oncology.

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Non-TB lung disease increasing in the U.S.

BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 29 (UPI) — The U.S. National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says incidents of non-
tuberculosis mycobacteria lung disease are increasing across
the nation.

Researchers said non-tuberculous mycobacteria are
environmental organisms found in both water and soil that
can cause severe pulmonary disease in humans — and a large
study indicates the disease is increasing.

A research team led by epidemiologists from the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the
National Institutes of Health, analyzed hospital discharge
records of patients in 11 states whose combined total
population represents 42 percent of the country. They said
they reviewed database records spanning 1998 to 2005 and
identified more than 16,475 hospitalizations associated
with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria in people without AIDS.

Before the widespread availability of combination
antiretroviral therapy, pulmonary disease was a common
opportunistic infection among people with AIDS. The study
was limited to patients not suffering from AIDS.

Researchers said of the 11 states studied, Florida, New
York and California had 62 percent of the pulmonary
hospitalizations.

Study results show while overall prevalence of non-
tuberculosis mycobacteria lung disease is higher in women,
prevalence increases for both sexes in the fifth or sixth
decade of life, the scientists said.

The research appears in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

_____________________________________________________

Gut worms may protect against allergies

NOTTINGHAM, England, Sept. 29 (UPI) — British and Vietnamese
scientists say they’ve discovered parasitic gut worms, such
as hookworms, might help prevent and treat asthma and other
allergies.

Researchers led by Dr. Carsten Flohr of the University of
Nottingham, and Dr. Luc Nguyen Tuyen of the Khanh Hoa
Provincial Health Service in central Vietnam said their
study is the largest double-blind, placebo controlled
clinical trial to date looking at potential links between
hookworm and other gut worm infections and allergic
conditions such as asthma and eczema.

The research was conducted in a rural area of central Vietnam
where two of every three children have hookworm and other gut
parasite infections and where allergies are extremely rare.
More than 1,500 schoolchildren ages 6-17 took part in the
clinical trial.

The team investigated whether repeated tablet treatments to
clear the body of gut worms made it more likely for children
to develop allergic conditions. While the treatment did not
demonstrate an effect on asthma or eczema, the treated
children had a significantly increased risk of having a
positive allergy skin test to house-dust mites and cockroaches.

That, the scientists said, suggests gut worms have the
potential to tone down human immune responses.

“The next step is to understand exactly how and when gut
parasites program the human immune system in a way that
protects against allergic sensitization, and for such studies,
follow-up from birth will be essential,” Flohr said.

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Spanking Linked to Lower IQ Scores

The issue of whether or not parents should spank their children
has been widely debated and continues to provoke strong feelings
on both sides. Advocates of spanking view it as an effective
form of discipline and maintain that reasonable use of the
practice is not harmful to children. Opponents argue that
hitting children is not an effective deterrent for bad behavior,
but a practice that plants the seeds for later violent behavior.
The spanking haggle has a lengthy history in scientific research,
and two new studies that suggest children who are spanked have
lower IQ’s than those who aren’t is likely to reignite the debate
yet again.

The research was led by Dr. Murray A. Straus at the University
of Hampshire, who has studied the effects of corporal punishment
on child development for 50 years. In one study, Straus and
colleague Dr. Mallie J. Paschall of the Pacific Institute for
Research and Evaluation analyzed data from 806 U.S. children who
were two to four years old at enrollment and 704 between the ages
of five and nine who took part in the National Longitudinal Survey
of Youth. The children’s intelligence was tested when they entered
the trials and again four years later.

After accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status and
parental education, that could influence scores, the researchers
found that IQ’s of the younger group of children who were spanked
were an average of 5 points lower four years later than the same
age children who were not spanked. Scores among the older children
who were spanked were an average of 2.8 points lower than those
in the same age group who did not receive corporal punishment.
“That’s kind of the cruelly ironic thing, because we hear that
it’s OK to hit younger children because they won’t remember it,”
said Straus. “This evidence says it’s worse for children between
two to six, that the younger child is the most vulnerable.”

The frequency of spanking also played a role. “How often
parents spanked made a difference; the more spanking the slower
the development of a child’s mental ability,” Straus said.
“Even small amounts of spanking made a difference.”

In the second study, Straus analyzed data from nearly 18,000
university students in 32 countries who were polled about their
parents’ use of corporal punishment. When the answers were
compared to national average IQ scores, the highest were in
nations where spanking had either been banned or was not socially
acceptable—lower in countries where spanking was more prevalent.
The exceptions were the top five countries on the average-IQ list:
Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, a discrepancy
Straus attributed to a strong emphasis in those nations on
cademic excellence. “To put it in a nutshell, corporal punishment
slows down the rate of development of mental ability,” Straus
said. “All the kids got smarter because they got older, but the
ones who were spanked, less so.”

David Day, an associate psychology professor at Ryerson
University in Toronto who studies aggression and anti-social
behavior in children and youth, said instead of striking their
children, parents should be using positive-reinforcement
techniques. “What spanking doesn’t do is promote cognitive
development or language and problem-solving abilities in
children,” said Day. “It’s very frightening for a child because,
at a young age, they’ll have the inability to deal with stress
and be afraid of being hit. It really has long-term consequences
for children.” He said physical punishment is usually linked
with other negative parenting techniques, such as yelling and
removing food privileges, which would also be detrimental to a
child’s mental and emotional development.

Straus says that while the results only show an association
between spanking and intelligence, his methodology and the fact
that he took into account other factors that could be at play
(such as parents’ socioeconomic status) make a good case for a
causal link. “You can’t say it proves it, but I think it rules
out so many other alternatives; I am convinced that spanking
does cause a slowdown in a child’s development of mental
abilities,” Straus said.

_____________________________________________________

Side Effects of Medications Can Be Dangerous to Children

Although side effects of commonly used medications are
often mild and temporary, many can be harmful to children.
Over the period of a decade, medication side effects alone
sent over half a million American children to outpatient
clinics and emergency rooms annually.

The disturbing statistics come from a group of researchers
at Children’s Hospital in Boston. Their study found that
between the years 1995 and 2005, a total of 585,922
incidents of adverse drug events occurred annually among
children 18 years and younger. Although most of these
children received treatment at outpatient clinics, 22
percent resulted in a visit to a hospital emergency room.
The findings were recently published in the journal Pediatrics.

The study analyzed data from the National Center for Health
Statistics and found that as many as 13 outpatient visits
per 1,000 children occur due to drug-related adverse events;
an indication that medication complications are common in
pediatric care. The greatest risk of medication side effects
was discovered to be among children ages four and younger,
accounting for approximately 43 percent of all events. The
second highest risk was found to be among teens between the
ages of 15 and 18 at a total of 23 percent.

Of all medicine related complications among children, skin-
related disorders, including rashes, were revealed to be the
most common at a total of 45 percent, while gastrointestinal
complications accounted for more than 16 percent. Over half
of children (52 percent) who suffered adverse events, were
found to have experienced symptoms of allergic reaction to
a medication.

In 27.5 percent of incidents, adverse drug events were
linked to the use of antibiotics such as penicillin. Among
children under the age of 4, nearly 40 percent of the adverse
drug events leading to hospital or clinic visits involved
the use of antibiotics. Allergies to antibiotics are often
discovered when a young child obtains a first dose. In
addition, there is a higher risk of errors in medication
dosing among younger children.

Among older children, the most likely culprits were found
to be neurologic and psychotropic medications that accounted
for slightly more than six percent of adverse events, while
hormones were the cause of six percent. This is likely due
to increased use of antidepressants and attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) meds among teens for emotional
and behavioral disorders, as well as the use of birth control
among teen girls.

The study authors urged doctors to be more vigilant in
helping to curtail potential medication-related adverse
events in children and provide parents of children being
treated with information regarding possible drug
interactions. In a news release, study leader Dr. Florence
Bourgeois of Children’s division of emergency medicine
said, “One approach to reducing adverse events is to
ensure that clinicians have ready access to complete
information on the adverse effects and comparative
effectiveness of medications. This information should
derive from data on the real-world use of the drugs, not
just from the package inserts.”

It is important for parents to understand that in most cases
the benefits of treatment with medication outweigh the risks.
Based on previous research, only about 1 percent of children
treated on an outpatient basis suffer from drug related
adverse events. However, remaining watchful and being aware
of potential problems is key. After all, an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The pursuit of the perfect tan could be much more costly
than you think. According to experts from the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France,
tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation
carry a cancer risk that is equivalent to cigarettes. The
IARC, a part of the World Health Organization (WHO), has
now re-classified UV tanning beds to the highest possible
cancer risk category known as “carcinogenic to humans.”

Scientists have long suspected that tanning beds and ultra-
violet radiation were probable carcinogens, and the results
of the recent analysis performed by IARC offer proof that
this is true. The analysis reviewed about 20 studies to
reach the conclusion that the risk of skin cancer is
increased by 75 percent when individuals use tanning beds
prior to reaching the age of 30.

Although it was previously believed that only one type of
ultraviolet radiation was lethal, the experts also
discovered that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused
disturbing mutations in mice, offering more proof that the
radiation is carcinogenic. The research was published
online in the medical journal Lancet Oncology.

The new classification puts tanning beds and other sources
of ultraviolet radiation in the same top cancer risk
category as tobacco, the hepatitis B virus and chimney
sweeping, which are all known to be definite causes of
cancer. The IARC says that most lights that are used in
tanning beds produce ultraviolet radiation that causes
skin and eye cancer.

According to Vincent Cogliano, a member of the research
team, “People need to be reminded of the risks of sunbeds.”
He then added, “We hope the prevailing culture will change
so teens don’t think they need to use sunbeds to get a tan.”
Cogliano also warned that all ultraviolet radiation is
unhealthy, whether it comes from a tanning bed or the sun.

Dan Humiston, president of the Indoor Tanning Association
(ITA) expressed doubt about the recent finding. He said,
“The fact that the IARC has put tanning bed use in the
same category as sunlight is hardly newsworthy.” He went
on to explain, “The UV light from a tanning bed is
equivalent to UV light from the sun, which has had a group
1 classification since 1992. Some other items in this
category are red wine, beer and salted fish. The ITA has
always emphasized the importance of moderation when it
comes to UV light from either the sun or a tanning bed.”

Kathy Banks, chief executive of The Sunbed Association, a
European trade association of tanning bed makers and
operators, disputed the new classification. In a statement
she said, “The fact that is continuously ignored is that
there is no proven link between the responsible use of
sunbeds and skin cancer.” She also noted that people who
use tanning beds use do so less than 20 times per year.

However, as the use of tanning beds has significantly
increased among people under age 30, physicians have
observed a rise in the skin cancer. In fact, prior studies
have shown that younger people who use tanning beds on a
regular basis have an eight time greater likelihood to
develop melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, when
compared to those who have never used them. One case in
point is that melanoma is now the leading type of cancer
diagnosed in Britain for Women in their twenties. Until
now, the WHO warned only people younger than 18 to avoid
using tanning beds.

According to Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical
officer at the American Cancer Society, “This new report
confirms and extends the prior recommendation of the
American Cancer Society that the use of tanning beds is
dangerous to your health, and should be avoided.”

Instead of using a tanning bed, the American Cancer Society
advises people to use bronzing or self-tanning creams. The
organization has reported that in 2008, approximately
62,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the United
States, with about 8,000 people losing their lives to the
deadly cancer.
_____________________________________________________

Gene may be key in treating Ebola, anthrax

FORT DETRICK, Md. – U.S. Army medical scientists say they’ve
determined a single host gene may be key in treating both
Ebola and anthrax infections. The study, conducted at the
Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, in-
dicates a minor reduction in levels of a gene known as CD45
can provide protection against the microbes that cause Ebola
hemorrhagic fever and the bacterium that causes anthrax.
Taken together, scientists said the study’s results suggest
a common host restriction factor and a promising approach to
drug development for treating two completely different infec-
tions. The researchers said mice expressing reduced levels of
CD45 between 11 percent and 77 percent were protected against
Ebola virus. In addition to an overall survival rate of 90
percent to 100 percent, the mice had reduced levels of virus
load in the major organs, and had completely cleared the
virus 10 days after challenge. In contrast, mice that had
naturally occurring levels of CD45 — or none at all — suc-
cumbed to infection within seven to eight days following
challenge. Scientists said mice that expressed reduced levels
of CD45 retained greater control of gene expression and im-
mune cell proliferation following Ebola virus infection.
These factors contributed to enhanced viral clearance, in-
creased protection against the virus and a reduction in cell
death. The study is reported in the early online edition of
the journal Cell Host and Microbe.

_____________________________________________________

Stem cells may treat neurodegeneration

TEL AVIV, Israel – Israeli scientists say they have shown the
viability of using bone marrow stem cells to treat such neuro-
degenerative diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Tel
Aviv University researcher Yoram Cohen said he has proven the
viability of the innovative stem cells, called mesenchymal
stem cells, using in-vivo magnetic resonance imaging. Cohen
said he tracked the stem cells progress within the brain, and
initial studies indicate they can identify unhealthy or
damaged tissues, migrate to them and potentially repair or
halt cell degeneration. “By monitoring the motion of these
cells, you get information about how viable they are, and how
they can benefit the tissue,” he said. “We have been able to
prove that these stem cells travel within the brain, and only
travel where they are needed. They read the chemical sig-
naling of the tissue, which indicate areas of stress. And
then they go and try to repair the situation.” His research
is detailed in the journal Stem Cells.

_____________________________________________________

Nanocapsules used for drug delivery

PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh scientists say they
have created nanoscale devices for drug or imaging agent de-
livery and to enhance oxygen sensors. In a report published
online in the journal Advanced Materials, a team led by chem-
istry Professors Alexander Star and Stephane Petoud describe
the creation of nanosized capsules that are universally com-
patible with a range of substances, particularly related to
medicine and energy. When applied to medicine, the tiny ves-
sels can potentially carry a sizable “cargo” of anti-cancer
drugs or medical imaging agents. That study included grad-
uate students Brett Allen, Chad Shade and Adrienne Yingling.
In a separate paper appearing online in Nature Chemistry
another team headed by Star and Petoud developed a highly
sensitive, fluorescent oxygen sensor that can detect minute
amounts of the gas. The researchers said such oxygen detec-
tors are important safety devices in mines, aircraft, sub-
marines and other confined spaces. In both studies the sci-
entists said they used carbon nanomaterials to create en-
hanced versions of existing technologies. “For decades, re-
searchers have been searching for an optimal vessel for
storing and transporting a variety of cargo to specified
locations,” Star said. “Our devices have the potential to be
universal delivery vehicles for a range of materials. Our
next steps will focus on controlling how and when the nano-
capsules open by using different stimuli such as pH, light,
and chemical agents.”

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Canadian scientists inhibit cancer protein

TORONTO – Canadian medical scientists say they’ve developed
a new way to inhibit two cancer proteins in a study that
might lead to more effective chemotherapy. A research team
led by University of Toronto-Mississauga Professor Patrick
Gunning created several molecules that inhibit Stat3 — a
protein that in cancer cells pairs with a copy of itself and
becomes unstable. “The molecules we have created are particu-
larly nice because they’re showing selectivity against cancer
cells, but not against healthy cells,” Gunning said. “This
molecule could be used in conjunction with typical chemother-
apeutics, and it could mean that drugs will have less resis-
tance-so you could use lower dosages and cause fewer side
effects.” The scientists said the Stat3 protein is involved
in nearly all cancers, and is known to contribute to the
resistance of cancer cells to current drug therapies. “Most
currently available therapeutics aim to induce cell death,”
Gunning said. “We wanted to make small molecules that could
try and stop this protein.” The study that also included
scientists from the University of Central Florida and the
Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto appears in the Sep-
tember issue of the European journal ChemBioChem.

_____________________________________________________

Low vitamin D raises diabetic heart risk

ST. LOUIS – Diabetics deficient in vitamin D can’t process
cholesterol so it builds in blood vessels, increasing heart
attack and stroke risk, U.S. researchers said. Principal
investigator Dr. Carlos Bernal-Mizrachi, a Washington Uni-
versity endocrinologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. -
Louis, said when people are deficient in vitamin D the mac-
rophage cells — dispatched by the immune system in response
to inflammation — eat more cholesterol, which they can’t
get rid of. “Vitamin D inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by
cells called macrophages,” Bernal-Mizrachi said in a state-
ment. “The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and be-
come what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the
earliest markers of atherosclerosis.” The researchers studied
macrophage cells taken from people with and without diabetes,
and with and without vitamin D deficiency. When vitamin D
levels were low in the culture dish, macrophages from dia-
betic patients were much more likely to become foam cells.
The study, published in the journal Circulation, found vit-
amin D regulates signaling pathways linked both to uptake
and to clearance of cholesterol in macrophages.

_____________________________________________________

Molecule senses human respiratory viruses

SAN ANTONIO,  Aug. 25 (UPI) — University of Texas Health
Science Center microbiologists say they have identified a
defense molecule that senses the presence of respiratory
viruses. The scientists, led by Assistant Professor Santanu
Bose, said the cellular molecule not only can sense two
common respiratory viruses, but it also can direct cells to
mount a defense. The researchers said their discovery of the
molecule, called NOD2, could lead to new therapies for human
respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A, both of which
are serious threats to people with weak immune systems. “This
molecule could be used to boost host immune defenses and
stimulate vaccine efficacy … especially among high-risk indi-
viduals,” Bose said. “This is a major breakthrough in under-
standing respiratory virus behavior and innate immune anti-
viral factors, and provides the basis for innovative thera-
pies to improve host responses to infectious diseases,” said
Professor Joel Baseman, chairman of microbiology and immun-
ology at the Texas Health Science Center. The research that
included graduate student Ahmed Sabbath and research scien-
tists Te-Hung Chang and Rosalinda Harnack appears online in
the journal Nature Immunology.

_____________________________________________________

Amino Acids May Curb Urge to Pull Hair

We’ve all heard the phrase, “I am going to pull my hair out,”
from someone in a stressful situation, but there are actually
many Americans who suffer from urges to pull their hair and
have been diagnosed with a disease called trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania is a condition where sufferers have
compulsive urges to pull on their hair, many times pulling
it out, causing bald areas. There is new evidence that a
daily dose of amino acids, found in health food stores, may
curb the urge to pull ones hair.

A team of researchers with the University of Minnesota,
lead by Dr. Jon Grant, a psychiatrist with the University,
recently released their study illustrating the positive
effects of amino acids against compulsive hair pulling,
in the July 2009 issue of the Archives of General
Psychiatry. According to Dr. Grant, compulsive hair
pulling begins in adolescence with many suffers not
realizing their problem or are too ashamed to seek
assistance, making it difficult to determine exactly how
many suffer from the condition. According to the study,
around two percent of Americans are affected and it is
seen most often in women. Trichotillomania has also been
linked to anxiety disorders and social phobias.

Currently there is no FDA-approved treatment for the
condition, but based on the new study, amino acids may be
the key. Researchers conducted a study that lasted for 12
weeks, involved 45 women and five men ranging in age from
18-65, who regularly pull their hair. The trial was a
double-blind controlled trial, with half of the group
receiving 1200 mg of N-Acetylcysteine daily for six weeks,
and then an increased dosage of 2,400 mg daily for the
remaining 6 weeks, the other half of the participants were
given a placebo treatment for the full 12 weeks. At the
end of the 12-week trial, 56 percent of the group receiving
the amino acids reported feeling much better and 16 percent
of the placebo group reported less tendencies to pull their
hair. Amino acids have previously proven to have positive
results in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar
disorder and schizophrenia, and it is sold in a nasal spray
formula used to treat mucus buildup and other uses.
Eventually we may see a formula specific to obsessive-
compulsive disorders, but more testing is needed.

Dr. Grant wrote, “This study, the first to our knowledge
that examines the efficacy of a glutamatergic agent in the
treatment of trichotillomania, found that N-acetylcysteine
demonstrated statistically significant reductions in
trichotillomania symptoms.” According to Grant amino acid
treatment, subdue a chemical in the brain that could also
lead to a potential treatment for other obsessive-compulsive
disorders, such as constant hand washing and may even help
addicted gamblers.

Amino acids are readily available at any health food store
and are relatively inexpensive, costing between $20 and $25,
for a month’s supply. For those who suffer from the condition,
this would be a minimal price to pay versus the potential
embarrassment for early balding, especially for children
and young adults, where more emphasis is placed on
appearances. The team of researchers noted, as effective
treatments for trichotillomania arise, it is important for
medical staffs to be aware of the condition and its signs
and symptoms, and screen patients for the disorder, to help
provide prompt medical attention. Even though the research
proved positive, the perfect dose and duration of amino
acid treatment has not been determined and anyone wanting
to try amino acid therapy, as treatment for trichotillomania
may want to discuss the treatment with their doctor.

When I first came to America in 1973 at the age of 16, I think
I might have overdosed on protein. Meals in America were
protein, protein, and more protein. I’d have a huge steak for
dinner, baked potato, a salad, soup—and two scoops of ice
cream every night for dessert.

My metabolism just couldn’t keep up, and I put on 20 pounds
in two weeks. I eventually lost that weight—especially after
I went to a diet of pasta, grains, salads, fruits, and low-fat
protein and laid off the animal fats, sugar, and processed foods.

Protein does have power in the right amounts. I’ve found that
a reasonable serving of low-fat protein should complement the
nutritional force in any meal: plant-based foods like fresh
vegetables, whole grains, and fruit. When I eat the right
balance of protein and carbs, I feel as if I could stay on
the court or work out forever.

If you’re a vegetarian, it’s easy to get enough protein in
your diet. Vegetarian proteins like beans, nuts, lentils, and
soy foods (tofu and tempeh, for example) are a whole lot better
for you than many meats, because they supply a near-complete
set of disease-preventing nutrients, without all the fat.

When opting for protein from meat, choose low-fat animal
proteins, such as fish and white-meat poultry over high-fat
cuts of meat. Dairy foods and dairy substitutes supply protein,
too. It just makes good sense to cut down on fatty meats and to
stick with high-fiber, low-fat foods if you want to stay healthy
as you get older.

Exactly how much protein should you eat daily? Each serving of
poultry or fish should be about the size of the palm of your
hand, and each vegetable protein should be the size of your
fist. Here’s an example of how I work portions of low-fat
proteins into my day:

* Upon rising: A glass of fresh-squeezed fruit or vegetable
juice.
* Breakfast: Eggs or egg whites sautéed with mushrooms or
another vegetable, such as broccoli, or an omelet made
with one egg and two egg whites, along with multigrain
bread with a little butter or jam; pancakes; or oatmeal—
always with a glass of fresh-squeezed juice.
* Lunch: A raw salad, pasta, or rice with vegetarian protein,
such as beans or legumes, or a vegetable sandwich made with
a hearty, multigrain bread.
* Mid-afternoon snack: Slice of multigrain bread with a fresh
fruit, such as a banana.
* Dinner: A lean protein, such as chicken breasts or fish,
lots of lightly steamed vegetables, and usually a salad
made with a light olive oil dressing.
* Evening snack: Fresh vegetable juice.

On days that I work out, I’ll have a little protein with some
carbs after exercising. This combo speeds up the manufacture of
new glycogen (the carbohydrate that is stored in muscle and
supplies energy) and elevates key hormones in the body that are
involved in muscle repair and growth. In addition, the snack
amplifies the fuel I get from carbs. For refueling with protein,
good options include tofu, edamame (steamed soybeans), soy milk,
yogurt, several ounces of lean chicken or fish, or egg whites.

Given that most Americans already consume two to three times the
daily requirement for protein, it’s doubtful that you’re not
getting enough of it. If you follow the guidelines I suggest—
including making low-fat choices—you’ll get all the nutritional
punch that protein delivers.

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Colon bug assailed by fecal transplant

OKLAHOMA CITY – Some Oklahoma City doctors have begun giving
fecal transplants to combat possibly deadly superbugs found
in patients’ colons, hospital officials say. The procedure
is reported well known in other countries but new to the
United States. Integris Baptist Medical Center doctors rec-
ently gave fecal transplants to three patients suffering
from Clostridium difficile, also known as C-diff, the most
common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitals and nursing
homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
the ailment leads to several thousand deaths a year, The
Oklahoman reported. The transplant involves taking human
waste from a healthy person and injecting it via colonoscopy
into a person with C-diff. Many people with C-diff are older
and became ill after they get antibiotics for other infec-
tions. Some countries have had considerable success with
fecal transplants, notably Australia, which said it had al-
most a 90 percent success rate.

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Close relationships may slow Alzheimer’s

BALTIMORE – A close relationship to a caregiver may slow
decline in an Alzheimer’s patient, U.S. researchers say.
A report published in The Journals of Gerontology Series B:
Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences suggests the
patient-caregiver relationship may directly influence pro-
gression of Alzheimer’s disease. The beneficial effect of
emotional intimacy the researchers saw among participants
was on par with some drugs used to treat the disease. The
researchers examined 167 pairs of caregivers and Alzheimer’s
patients — residents of Utah’s Cache County.

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Possible embryonic stem cell option

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Sperm cell precursors can be converted
into other cell types, providing a possible alternative to
the medical use of embryonic stem cells, U.S. researchers
say. The University of Illinois research, described in the
journal Stem Cells, improves on earlier research that showed
that a kind of germ cell that leads to the production of
sperm could eventually give rise to a few cells that looked
and acted like embryonic stem cells. But the earlier process
with the spermatagonial stem cells took months, and only a
small portion of the cells evolved into “embryonic stemlike”
cells, veterinary biosciences Professor Paul Cooke and post-
doctoral researcher Liz Simon said. In their new research,
Simon placed spermatagonial stem cells from inbred mice on
the connective tissue in embryos and grafted the combination
into living mice. They found that the spermatagonial stem
cells, under the right conditions, formed new tissues that
had all the physical characteristics of prostate, skin or
uterus and produced the telltale markers of those tissue
types, they said. The original cells stopped looking and
behaving like spermatagonial stem cells, Cooke said. Cooke
said he hopes a more streamlined approach can  be developed
to produce new skin cells or other tissues when needed –
for example, to replace skin damaged in a burn. His team is
also investigating the use of ovarian stem cells instead of
spermatagonial stem cells to see if they can get the same
results with ovarian tissue.

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Drugs may help protect against dementia

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A class of medication used to treat
high blood pressure may protect older adults against memory
decline, U.S. researchers said. “High blood pressure is an
important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular
dementia,” lead author Dr. Kaycee Sink of Wake Forest Uni-
versity School of Medicine said in a statement. “Our study
found that all blood-pressure medications may not be equal
when it comes to reducing the risk of dementia in patients
with hypertension.” The researchers analyzed data from the
Cardiovascular Health Study, a long-term study of cardio-
vascular risk factors that involved 5,888 people age 65 and
older.

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Study links metabolic and immune diseases

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Researchers in Cambridge, Mass., found a
link between metabolic and immunologic conditions, they said
in papers published Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine.
They used two over-the-counter allergy medications to reduce
both obesity and type 2 diabetes in mice. The papers ex-
plained the medications stabilize a population of inflam-
matory immune cells called mast cells. The researchers also
found a white blood cell called a regulatory T cell controls
inflammation in fat tissues. Obese people and people with
type 2 diabetes have too few of these cells, the papers said.
“It seems that we’re seeing the emergence of a new biomedical
discipline: immunometabolism,” said Harvard Medical School
Professor of pathology Diane Mathis, senior author on one of
the papers. Scientists know type 1 diabetes is an immunolog-
ical disease but didn’t consider type 2 to be immunological
until this study, the Harvard scientists said.

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Juices – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I confess. I love juice. As someone who really can’t be
bothered with peeling oranges,  slicing up mangos, or
grating carrots, I find having a jug of juice in the fridge
a matter of necessity.

But, as usual, it turns out that what I think is good for
me might not necessarily be so.

According to this WebMD slideshow, there are three diverse
sides to juice – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and how
to spot the differences.

The Good – Vegetable Juices which have far less sugar and
fewer calories than fruit juices

The Bad – Fruit juices might be the real deal full of
vitamins and anti-oxidants but they are also naturally
full of calories and sugars.

The Ugly – anything labeled juice cocktail, juice-flavoured
beverage or juice drink. Odds are they will only contain
minor amounts of the real stuff, with water and sugar making
up most of the ingredients. They might not look filling but
these sugary fruit drinks put kids (and adults) at risk of
obesity and other related health problems.

WebMD, by the way, is not telling you not to drink juices.
They are just wanting to make people aware of some of the
pit falls of drinking them.

As to what juices they recommend, you’ll have to head over
to the WebMD and check out their slideshow. A word of
warning though – it might make you thirsty.

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Chocolate for the brain

Last month, over 350 medical professionals, computer experts
and entrepreneurs gathered for the fifth annual Games for
Health Conference in Boston and discussed out topics such
as how computer games could boost patients’ health.

There were even sessions that specifically focused on the
relationship between gaming and cognitive health and whether
games can help change behavior and/or improve balance for
people with neurodegenerative diseases.

Me – I’m all for the idea that games can help maintain
cognitive health as well as possibly improve memory.

And with that in mind, I’d like to introduce you to my
latest find – Chocolatier: Decadence by Design.

Seriously, what could be more fun than spending an hour or
two pretending that you are a chocolatier building up a
chocolate empire from scratch. There’s travel, there’s
intrigue, and there’s recipes. And not a single ounce of
chocolate will get near your waist line.

Decadence by Design is the third in a series of Chocolatier
games available. You can play them free online, download
free and play for an hour, or purchase and be a chocolatier
for the rest of your life. The choice is yours.

The Jenny Craig Weight Loss Plan started out in Australia
in 1983 and is now available in the U.S., Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Guam. Currently owned by Nestle
Corporation and based out of Carlsbad, California, the
program is centered on three key components: Food, Body and
Mind. The program teaches portion control and healthy eating,
promotes physical activity personalized to each individual,
and provides consultants to keep you motivated and to make
key changes that will serve you for the rest of your life.

How does Jenny Craig work? This program takes an individual
approach to weight loss, and is dependent on a one-on-one
interaction with a Jenny Craig consultant, either in person
or over the phone. After evaluating your needs, a
personalized plan is presented, along with meal choices.
Jenny Craig provides the food you need to lose the weight,
along with supplemental items from the grocery store.
Exercise suggestions are tailored to your lifestyle, current
weight, and interests and weekly check-ins with your consultant
help to keep you on track. This continues until you have
reached your goal weight, at which time you should have made
the necessary changes to your diet and life to maintain that
goal. The Jenny Craig program does provide maintenance support
and access to online support tools, so you are not left to
your own devices, should you have any difficulties.

Probably the biggest expense and complaint amongst followers
is the purchase of prepared foods offered by Jenny Craig.
There are 17 breakfast choices, 21 lunch choices, 28 dinner
choices, and 25 desserts and snacks. The cost is upwards of
$100 per week plus grocery items like produce. While the food
certainly looks tasty, you are paying for portion control,
calorie control and the simple convenience of not having to
cook. It can be a godsend to those with busy, crazy, hectic
lives or who hate to plan, shop and cook meals.

As to whether the program works, in a 2007 clinical trial,
supported by Jenny Craig, the Jenny Craig participants lost
over five times as much weight as those who dieted on their
own. (Rock CL, et al. Obesity. 2007; 15: 939-949.) This
appears to be the only research touted on the Jenny Craig
website as to the efficacy of the program, although there
are numerous success stories published on the site.

_____________________________________________________

Baboon study furthers diabetic research

SAN ANTONIO – Pancreatic cells that pump insulin also pro-
duce a destructive substance that can kill the cells that
produced it, U.S. scientists studying diabetes said. The
destructive protein creates a “perfect storm” for the develop-
ment of Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Franco Folli of the University
of Texas Health Science Center said. “You have a condition
in which the beta cells die and the alpha cells proliferate.
This is the balance that is basically necessary to have the
onset of Type 2 diabetes,” Folli said in the journal of the
National Academy of Sciences published online Monday. Folli
and his team studied autopsy results from 150 baboons that
had died of natural causes at the Southwest Foundation for
Biomedical Research. Baboons, like humans, can become obese
and develop Type 2 diabetes, The San Antonio Express-News
reported Tuesday. The results suggest the damaging substance
from the pancreas appears well before diabetes begins and
then rises along with blood sugar as the disease progresses,
Folli said.

_____________________________________________________

New diabetes, Alzheimer drug target found

NEW YORK – U.S. scientists say a cellular protein that might
prevent nerve cell death also helps improve insulin action
and lower blood glucose levels. Researchers at Yeshiva Uni-
versity’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine and at the
University of California-Los Angeles said their study, which
focused on diabetic rodents, is the first to show a role in
glucose metabolism for humanin, a small peptide that previous
studies suggest might protect nerve cells from death associ-
ated with Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. “This new
role of humanin in glucose metabolism … is very intriguing
since scientists have long proposed a link between type 2
diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease,” said Professor Nir
Barzilai, a co-senior author of the study and director of
the Institute for Aging Research at Einstein. In the study,
the scientists infused humanin into the brains of diabetic
rats. The researchers said the infused humanin significantly
improved overall insulin sensitivity, and a single treatment
with a highly-potent form of humanin significantly lowered
blood-sugar levels in the diabetic rats. “The improvement in
insulin sensitivity caused by centrally administered humanin
may be one of the main mechanisms through which humanin
regulates cell survival,” Barzilai said. “This may provide
another potential mechanism by which humanin protects against
Alzheimer’s disease.” The research appears in the online
journal PLoS One.

_____________________________________________________

First human H1N1 vaccine trials begin

SYDNEY – The first human trials of the H1N1 flu vaccines be-
gan Wednesday in Australia, where the flu season is under
way. About 500 people turned out for the trials, various
media outlets reported. Drug companies CSL and Vaxine began
testing their products — CSL on 240 healthy adult volunteers
and Vaxine on 300, Nature.com reported.  CSL’s Research and
Development Director Andrew Cuthbertson told the Sydney
Morning Herald said the vaccine should be proven by late
September. “As soon as I have confirmation that the vaccine
is safe and effective, I will ensure it can be rolled out to
the community,” Australia’s Health Minister Nicola Roxon
said. Cuthbertson said H1N1 flu virus, formerly called swine
flu, hasn’t mutated yet. “So far at least it doesn’t appear
to have changed very much which I guess from the point of
view of preparing a vaccine is a good thing,” he said. “The
world will be watching to see the immunogenicity results of
this first clinical trial,” said Marie-Paule Kieny, director
of the World Health Organization’s initiative for vaccine
research. “It is likely to be indicative of how the other
vaccine candidates will perform.”

_____________________________________________________

Less toxic cancer treatment studied

PHOENIX – An Arizona medical research company says it has
verified an effective cancer research treatment that lacks
the toxicity of current regimens. The anti-cancer material
is a biological agent that boosts the immune system by par-
ticularly enhancing Beta cells, allowing them to strengthen
specific anti-cancer antibodies, the CHAI Foundation for
Medical Research & Life Extension Inc. said in a news re-
lease Tuesday. The anti-neoplastic material is created by
injecting an animal with an antigen. That animal’s system
creates antibodies that are then injected into test animals,
and ultimately into humans, the non-profit cancer research
center said. CHAI researchers tested the anti-cancer material
on 35 patients exhibiting lesions on various parts of their
bodies, including the breast, skin, liver, lung, spine, pan-
creas, prostate, ovary, and stomach. “The material acts as
an immunological charge against nature, and could become a
preventative with future work,” the release said. Dr. Eric -
R. Brown, CHAI Foundation’s research director and microbio-
logist, died in an accident after the tests were performed.
Because of his death, the CHAI Foundation is looking for
corroboration of its findings by another cancer research
organization, or funding to hire its own outside research
laboratory.

_____________________________________________________

Chimps with SIV show AIDS-like symptoms

CHICAGO – Wild chimpanzees infected with Simian Immunodefic-
iency Viruses can contract AIDS-like symptoms and die, U.S.
researchers said Wednesday. SIV has many forms and was
thought to be harmless to apes, researchers from the Univer-
sity of Illinois who participated in the global study said
in a news release. SIV is the precursor virus for AIDS and
HIV-1, which first entered human populations after trans-
mission from chimpanzees. “Chimpanzees and humans are very
similar genetically, so perhaps we should not be surprised
that these closely related viruses cause disease in both
hosts,” said Dr. Beatrice Hahn, a professor of medicine at
the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who led an inter-
national consortium. Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and Univer-
sity of Illinois researchers established a chimpanzee
health-monitoring program at Gombe National Park in Tanzania,
providing laboratories and expertise for post-mortem analyses
of chimpanzees that died during the course of the study.
For the last nine years, the consortium has monitored SIV
infections of the Gombe chimpanzees. Researchers said they
found chimpanzees infected with SIV were 10 to16 times more
likely to die in any year than those who remained uninfected.
“When I first looked at these samples I was taken aback,”
said U-I veterinary pathologist Karen Terio, a primary author
on the paper. “Slides from one of the chimps showed extreme
lymphatic tissue destruction, and looked just like a sample
from a human patient who has died of AIDS.”

_____________________________________________________

Chinese herbs safe for breast cancer patients?

Over the years, many medical experts have advised those
receiving chemotherapy to steer clear of traditional
Chinese medicine, a range of traditional medical practices
that developed over thousands of years in China. Traditional
Chinese medicine uses medicinal herbs and herbal mixtures
that modern doctors have feared may cause adverse reactions
or interfere negatively with cancer treatment.

Recently, researchers in Chengdu, China, performed seven
different studies by analyzing data from over 500 breast
cancer patients. The study found no evidence that traditional
Chinese herbs cause harm. Conversely, the study may have
found evidence that certain Chinese herbal remedies could
protect the bone marrow in breast cancer patients, while
strengthening the immune system and increasing overall health.

The studies were performed at the Chinese Cochrane Centre,
part of the Cochrane Collaboration Centre, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to producing and disseminating
systematic reviews of healthcare interventions. The reviews
are prepared by volunteer healthcare professionals.

This could be a vital new development to the sixty percent
of women who experience many side effects from breast cancer
chemotherapy, including a decline of blood platelets,
inflammation of the stomach lining, and diminishing numbers
of red and white blood cells.

Chinese herbal remedies may also reduce side effects
associated with chemotherapy, including fatigue, nausea
and vomiting. However, the study was small and inconclusive
and further trials and research are needed to determine
unconditional safety and effectiveness.

_____________________________________________________

Nutrition for Healthier Eyes

Eating properly can help to maintain excellent vision and
even improve weak vision. An article at newstarget, in fact,
outlines several different ways one can eat properly for
vision and claims that a healthy diet is the foundation for
excellent vision. If this is true, it may point to why so
many Americans have failing vision, since our diets are
noticeably lacking in vitamins, minerals, whole foods and
superfoods.

The article, which does not advocate one certain diet for
everyone, points out many ways one can use nutrition to
improve their vision. The basic message is to eat more fruits
and vegetables, such as dark leafy greens, colorful veggies
full of phytonutrients like beets, carrots and squash, and
fruits high in antioxidants, such as blackberries and
strawberries. The article also advocates taking vitamin
supplements, drinking fresh vegetable juices and adding
superfoods, such as chlorella, spirulina, nutritional yeast
to one’s diet.

In addition to eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, they
also recommend reducing dietary sugars, which can diminish
nutrients in the body and play a role in cross-linking of
collagen fibers in the eye.

Other recommendations include getting enough essential fats,
using herbal eye washes and resting your eyes by taking off
your glasses.

Probably the safest way to keep bugs away from your home is
to prevent your yard from inviting bugs. You can plant little
repellent gardens all over your yard, front porch, or back
patio to ward off unwanted bugs. Using nature-friendly plants
like lemongrass (also known as Citronella, popular in mosquito-
repelling candles), lemon thyme, catnip, and citrus-smelling
geraniums which contain up to 60 percent of the power of popular
spray DEET along with other commercial products, you can reduce
your family’s bite ratio and reduce the amount of toxins they
are subject to.

Another option is lotions and sprays found at natural health
food stores or herbalists thar contain essential oils and herbs
that are used to keep these pests away (like eucalyptus, bay
laurel, thyme, or lavender). One of these natural oils, gaining
in popularity, is neem oil. Made from the neem tree, this extract
is used in Indian Ayurvedic cures; the oil is bitter and repels
bugs while still being able to keep your friends close by.
Although many of these lotions and essential oil-based solutions
should not be used on infants, children under 2, or pregnant or
nursing mothers, you can always spray their clothes or the area
around them for protection. A safe-for-children remedy is to coat
a stroller or toddler’s chair with pure vanilla bean extract or
add a few drops to their regular skin lotion for use on their
sensitive skin—or yours.

If you have already been stung or bitten, treating those bites can
be a chore. Anti-inflammatory remedies like peppermint oil dropped
onto the bite uses menthol to increase circulation and move the
chemicals around that the bug left behind to physically reduce
the sore. You can also use regular oatmeal on bites to pull any
remaining toxins out of the body. Let a tablespoon of oatmeal
marinate in water until a paste forms. Spread onto the bite until
a crust hardens and rinse off. An easier way to pull toxins out
of your body is to apply a slice of freshly cut eggplant on the
wound, while a fresh cut cucumber slice also works to reduce
swelling.

After the itch and pain are gone, unsightly bumps can still
appear on the skin. Cover with easy at-home tricks like calendula
and aloe vera to prevent against infection, which can be found
over the counter in sprays and gels. Redness associated with a
bug bite can be irritating in itself and again Ayurvedic medicine
comes to the rescue. Alum, found in the spice aisle, is in powder
form and can be dissolved in water takes away the unwanted physical
aspects of the bite and even helps with any lingering itch you
may have.

Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you suspect there is an emergency.
Allergic reactions to bug bites can happen, either from bees,
spiders, or other unknown insects that you may not realize you
are allergic to. People can go into anaphylactic shock from
certain bites or stings and they should be watched if any of
their symptoms get worse. Even though run-ins with bugs can be
annoying, they can also be dangerous, so don’t ignore the
warning signs: pain at the site for longer than a few hours,
nausea, vomiting, fever, unstoppable itching, muscle pain,
difficulty breathing, extreme swelling, or causes confusion
in the victim.

Enjoy quiet, summer evenings by eating dinner outside instead
of becoming something else’s feast.

______________________________________________________

Fly gene may aid human brain tumor studies

SINGAPORE – U.S. and Singaporean scientists say a protein
found in a fruit fly’s brain, with a counterpart in mammals,
can apparently prevent brain tumors from forming. Researchers
at Duke University and the National University of Singapore’s
Graduate Medical School have found the fruit fly protein PP2A
suppresses brain tumor formation and controls the balance of
self-renewal and differentiation of neural stem cells, said
Assistant Professor Hongyan Wang. “Given that mechanisms for
stem cell division in flies and mammals are likely to be sim-
ilar, our study on fly PP2A may provide useful insights for
certain types of human brain tumors and possibly in a wide
variety of cancers,” Wang said. The study — supported by
Duke-NUS funding and by the Singapore Millennium Foundation
– appears online in the journal Development.

______________________________________________________

New therapy found to prevent heart failure

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. scientists say implantable cardiac
resynchronization devices can produce a 29 percent reduction
in heart failure or death in heart disease patients. Univer-
sity of Rochester Medical Center researchers said the results
came from a 4 1/2-year clinical trial that involved more than
1,800 patients in the United States, Canada and Europe. Some
of the patients used an implanted cardiac resynchronization
therapy device with defibrillator and some were given only an
implanted cardiac defibrillator. The study, led by Dr. Arthur
Moss, ended last week. A prior study by Moss and associates
in 2002 showed implantable cardiac defibrillators were effec-
tive in reducing mortality. The new study sought to determine
if cardiac resynchronization devices with defibrillators
could reduce the risk of mortality as well as heart failure.
Moss said the results are very positive. “Now we can prevent
sudden cardiac death and inhibit the development of heart
failure, thus improving survival and outcome in patients with
heart disease,” Moss said. “There is a very large population
of patients with heart disease who will benefit from this
combined therapy.”

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Research team maps parasite genome

SAN ANTONIO – A research team in Texas has mapped the genome
of the parasite that causes schistosomiasis, a debilitating
disease that can impair childhood development. The work done
at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research may lead
to a vaccine and better treatments, Timothy Anderson, the
research leader, told the San Antonio Express-News. “If we
can understand why parasites can be resistant to drugs, if
we can understand the biochemical pathways that are attacked
by these drugs, we can re-engineer those drugs so they do
work, or we can design new drugs,” The research was published
Tuesday in Genome Biology. Unlike the most common parasitic
disease, malaria, which remains a major killer, schistosomi-
asis, the second most common, is not usually fatal. But the
disease can damage internal organs and in children it hurts
both physical growth and cognitive development. About 200
million people are infected with schistosomiasis, most of
them in sub-Saharan Africa, and it causes about 200,000
deaths a year. The infection is usually caught by walking in
contaminated water.

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FDA to require warnings for Chantix, Zyban

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced
Wednesday it will require a boxed warning for the smoking
cessation drugs Chantix and Zyban. The FDA said the boxed
warning — the strongest warning the agency can require –
will appear on the package insert. It will highlight the
risk of serious mental health events, including changes in
behavior, depressed mood, hostility and suicidal thoughts
when taking the drugs. “The risk of serious adverse events
while taking these products must be weighed against the
significant health benefits of quitting smoking,” said Dr. -
Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Eval-
uation and Research. “Smoking is the leading cause of pre-
ventable disease, disability and death in the United States,
and we know these products are effective aids in helping
people quit.” Similar information on mental health events
will be required for buproprion, marketed as the antidepres-
sant Wellbutrin and for generic versions of buproprion.
Those drugs already carry a boxed warning for suicidal be-
havior in treating psychiatric disorders. Woodcock said
healthcare professionals who prescribe Chantix (varenicline)
and Zyban (buproprion) should monitor their patients for
unusual changes in mood or behavior after starting the drugs.
She added patients should immediately contact their health-
care professional if they experience such changes. Chantix
is manufactured by Pfizer Inc. Zyban is manufactured by
GlaxoSmithKline.

______________________________________________________

Study may improve genetic counseling

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – U.S. scientists studying how some human
DNA mutations are involved in inherited diseases say their
findings may affect the way genetic counseling is offered.
Pennsylvania State University researchers said their study
has shed light on the processes that lead to human DNA muta-
tions implicated in such diseases as tuberous sclerosis and
neurofibromatosis type 1. The scientists, led by Associate
Professors Kateryna Makova and Francesca Chiaromonte, exam-
ined mutations in which small fragments of DNA are either
added or subtracted from the genome. They said they found
patterns in the DNA sequences immediately surrounding those
mutations. Chiaromonte said the study is the first to detect
patterns in the DNA sequences adjacent to insertions and
deletions of DNA fragments at the genome-wide scale. “We
were surprised to find that the patterns … are unique because
scientists previously have lumped the two types of mutations
together,” graduate student Erika Kvikstad said. “What’s
striking is that most insertions and deletions are thought
to occur by replication errors and, while this is a primary
source generating the mutations, we discovered that recombi-
nation also is very important.” The scientists said that if
it’s know that certain diseases are more likely to be caused
by recombination than by replication errors, physicians can
provide better advice to couples who want to have children.
The research is detailed in the July issue of the journal
Genome Research.

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Regenerating bones and Vertebrae

Vitamin D has in the news to an amazing extent in the last
year. That and the mineral calcium. Here’s another article
that focuses on a new form of Vitamin D that may, in time,
prove to be a panacea, particularly for individuals with,
or at risk, for osteoporosis.

A statistic contained in the article that really bowled me
over was the “25% improvement in the strength of their
vertebrae”. This was for nonhuman test subjects (rats), of
course, but if this benefit could carry over to humans…
the possibilities could be wonderful.

This is important not just for the sake of osteoporosis,
but also for lower back pain, which is typically tied to
degenerative disc disease, a condition that, in many
individuals can become disabling.

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Metabolism Myths

The most common myth about metabolism is that there is slow
metabolism and fast metabolism. Researchers have measured
the amount of calories healthy weight individuals and obese
individuals burn while at rest, and the studies have
consistently indicated that overweight individuals’ bodies
expend more energy.

However, even after considering body size difference between
slender and obese individuals, their metabolic rates are
similar.

So what is the difference? Why do individuals with similar
weight and age have different metabolic rates? It is quite
simple: basal metabolic rate is influenced by the ratio of
fat to muscle, consequently individuals who are fit and
have more muscle expend more energy.

Of course, physical activity uses energy as well. In fact,
our basal metabolism rate and physical activity are the
two components of total energy expenditure. If an
individual is to be successful in losing weight, they must
accept one brutal fact and that fact is you cannot consume
more calories than your body uses. If an individual accepts
this fact, they will be able to manage their weight over
their lifetime.

Many individuals are looking for a “magic pill” that will
eliminate weight gain with no effort on their part. The
truth is that there is no magic solution for weight control
or weight loss.

Weight loss or control is the result of calorie reduction
and physical activity. The most efficient way to burn
calories is to get plenty of daily physical activity, and
work on improving one’s body muscle to fat ratio (anaerobic
exercise is ideal for this). If an individual does this, it
will bring about modest but important changes in basal
metabolic rate that in turn will enable a person to control
their weight.